Don’t Get Sued Over a Sponge
- Jenna Bryan
- May 5
- 3 min read
A Yearbook Adviser’s Guide to Copyright & Trademarks
Let’s set the scene.
You’re wrapping up a great yearbook spread. The design looks amazing. The theme is perfect. Someone adds a fun little cartoon character in the corner… maybe a yellow sponge in square pants. Or a certain mouse with very round ears. Or a sports logo that definitely belongs to a professional team.
And suddenly… your adorable yearbook page is committing copyright and trademark violations.
Don’t worry, this happens more often than you think! Understanding copyright and trademarks can save your yearbook (and your school) from awkward emails, legal headaches, and reprinting costs. Let’s break it down in plain English.
First Things First: What Is Copyright?
Copyright protects creative work.
That means when someone creates something original, like a photograph, illustration, song, video, or piece of writing, they automatically own the rights to it.
Examples of copyrighted content include:
Photographs found on Google
Illustrations or graphics from Pinterest
Songs and lyrics
Movies and TV screenshots
Artwork from artists or designers
Professional photography
Even if something is easy to find online, it is not automatically free to use.
Think of copyright like this: Just because you can see it on the internet doesn’t mean you can print it in a yearbook.
What Is a Trademark?
Trademarks protect brands and logos.
Companies use trademarks to protect the identity of their brand. Think things like logos, slogans, mascots, and recognizable brand imagery.
Examples include:
Sports team logos
Brand logos (Nike, Apple, etc.)
Company mascots (Geico Gecko)
Product packaging designs
Brand slogans
Trademarks exist so companies can control how their brand appears and prevent others from using it without permission.
So while copyright protects creative works, trademarks protect brands and identities.
The Easy Way to Remember the Difference:
Here’s a simple trick:
Copyright = Creative work
Trademark = Brand identity
Or if you prefer a yearbook-themed version:
Copyright protects the photo someone took
Trademark protects the logo on the shirt in the photo
“But It’s Just a Yearbook…”
This is the most common thing advisers hear from students.
And while yearbooks are educational publications, that doesn’t mean they’re automatically allowed to use copyrighted or trademarked content.
Schools (and publishers) still need to respect intellectual property laws. If copyrighted material appears in a yearbook without permission, it can create issues for the school, the publisher, and the yearbook staff.
The good news is it’s very easy to avoid these problems.
Common Yearbook Copyright Mistakes
Here are some things on the no-fly list:
Copying images from Google
Using Disney or cartoon characters in designs
Using professional sports logos in graphics
Downloading artwork from Pinterest
These may seem harmless, but they’re usually copyrighted or trademarked.
Well, What Is Safe to Use Then?
Glad you asked! Here are safe options:
Photos taken by your yearbook staff
Images provided by your school photographer
Graphics included in your yearbook software
Stock images that are licensed for use
Student-created artwork
Original content actually makes your book more authentic, and more meaningful.
Many schools have access to tools, like Canva, for creating graphics and page elements. Canva offers a large library of licensed graphics, fonts, and templates that can help students create original design elements for their yearbook pages.
Pro Tip
Use Canva to create custom graphics or decorative elements you may not find in Memento. When exporting your graphics, download them as transparent PNG files so they place cleanly on your page without a background.
For final page layouts and building your templates, stick with Memento. It is designed specifically for yearbook production workflows!
The Real Goal: Tell Your School’s Story
The best yearbook doesn't rely on outside graphics or famous characters.
They focus on what matters most:
Your students
Your school
Your memories
No trademarked mascot or cartoon character can compete with the real moments happening on campus.
Plus, when your staff creates something themselves, your yearbook becomes something truly unique. Something that belongs only to your school! How cool is that?
Adviser Shortcut
Create a shared “Approved Graphics” folder inside your yearbook photo albums so students only use images that are safe.
Final Thought for Advisers
If a student ever asks: “Can we use this image we found online?”
The safest response is: “Did we create it?”
If the answer is yes, you’re good to go! If the answer is no, it’s probably best to leave it out.Your future self (and your printer) will thank you.
At the end of the day, it’s not Disney’s story, the NFL’s, or something pulled from Google Image Search, it’s your school’s story, and the best yearbooks tell it!
